VIOLET DAWN

Chapter 25

The sailor tumbled out of the pub and onto one of the many side streets that led off the docks. Drunk on cheap booze and irate, he cursed as he picked his way back towards the Bonny Beauty.

He had intended to find himself a woman before the dawn sailing, but the bloody wenches had all been taken, what piss poor luck!

The sound of footsteps up ahead in the distance had him narrowing his eyes. The London docks were full of mist which didn't make for good visibility, but he could swear it was a woman that was coming towards him. Maybe he'd get lucky yet, he thought with a toothless smile.

"Hi there darlin', care for a tumble? I've got the coin, dinna worry!" He called out as she came nearer. A beauty she was too, he realised. Masses of dark hair and a nice pair of bosoms.

The woman said nothing, but kept walking towards him which the sailor took as a good sign. There were no rooms about and not much time till dawn, but if she wasn't averse to a nice quiet alley way, they'd have a fine time of it.

"So what'd ya say darlin'?" he asked when she was only a few feet away.

"You better taste better than you look," the woman said at last, sending mixed signals through his foggy brain. Was she flirting with him?

"Don't you know it is bad manners to play with food?"

The sailor swung around to face the man who had just spoken. How had he crept up behind him so fast?

"Do we really need to take him back to the house? Why not just kill him here and have him for ourselves?" The woman complained behind him.

The sailor's blood ran cold, and the fog in his mind began to clear as alarm bells rang in his head.

"Listen darlin', I meant no offence, really," he said quickly as he reached for the dagger in his boot.

The man who watched him looked decidedly bored. Not a good sign, the sailor decided. Did they have guns then?

"You know we have to be careful for now. Can't have the Clan Leaders noticing anything awry before we are ready," the gent spoke again.

Knife in hand, the sailor razed his blade and turned so he had both of his would be attackers in sight. "I won't hesitate to cut the pair of you if you take one more step in my direction, I swear it!" He yelled, his breath coming out fast as he tried to spot the pub he had been drinking in. He couldn't see through the mist, damn it!

"You have it all wrong, darlin'" the woman smiled at him as she approached. There was something wrong with that smile, the sailor noticed, her teeth... they didn't look right. "We are the ones who will be cutting you."

The sailor took two rapid steps backwards before a scream tore from his throat.